Accepting Bitcoin in 2022

We are excited to announce that for the 2022 season we will be accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment. Not only do we believe this will be a positive step for you, the customer, but it is a dramatically beneficial financial element to every small business that chooses to go down this path.

Present, it costs us on average close to 3% for every transaction that is made with a credit card. I say 3% because sometimes it is a bit higher, say on room bookings and sometimes a touch lower if done at our Square POS in the pub. In either event, it is a large number for a small business and a number that must eventually be passed on to you, the customer, as one of our basic ‘Cost of Business’ elements.

So, how will this work? Well, the simplest mechanism will be those of you that choose to pay us in the pub using your Square CashApp. Square has continued pushing out updates to both our POS (point of sale equipment) and to the consumer CashApp. If you don’t already have the app, I encourage you to download it and attempt to use it. Let us know how that goes. Remember, we are all on the cusp of a new financial world and there are going to be growing pains along the way.

Second, if you have your own BTC wallet, and wish to pay in a peer to peer manner, at the time of invoice, either in the pub, or for rooms, we will generate a BTC invoice that you can simply scan with your phone our BTC wallet address and remit payment. Again, compared to simply handing us a CC, these things will be a touch more tedious in 2022, but probably seamless by 2024. Change is always slower than we expect, but as the song says, change is a coming.

We have 4-5 months to work out these details so that we are ready for the season. However, for those of you that will begin booking rooms for the summer, please let us know in your booking request if you would like to pay via BTC. At present time, the system we use for processing room reservations will continue to take a one night deposit in USD at the time of booking. We hope to identify a way to avoid this for you, but in either event, you may choose to pay the balance of your booking with BTC, just let us know at the time of booking and we will create the appropriate invoice.

As this is a new and emerging financial market, we would love to hear your thoughts, especially if you are on the side of paying for goods and service in this manner.

More details will follow, so check back soon. We will be starting up the newsletter again next month and will be introducing this topic along with more details of what the 2022 season will look like. We are currently expecting the discount rate for paying in Bitcoin to be approximately 5%, but are still finalizing those details. We also envision this discount to apply to purchases in the Pub as well.

Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

Glenn & Ellen

Cancelation of Booking.Com Services

Due to the continued anti small business practices by Booking.com, we will no longer be accepting reservations through that system. If you currently hold a reservation with us that was booked on booking.com, you are fine. However, from this point forward please book directly with us.

We would also encourage you to do this for any other reservations you make with small hotels, B&B’s, etc. Their practices, which are too many to go into, are killing small businesses. We for one will no longer support this company.

You may book directly with us by following this LINK.

Where is the Menu????

We continually get asked this question, and the answer is simple. Our kitchen is a scratch kitchen, meaning almost everything we make is made the day of or made to order. As such, our menu evolves each day depending on what is fresh, what is available, and what we might have already run out of. Because of this, is simply not practical for us to place a copy of the menu, online, every single day.

However, here is what you can take away from things. We are currently doing small plates that combined with several items are more than enough for a nice meal for two people. On any given day, we attempt to have some form of Vegan/Vegetarian dish; a meat dish; a seafood dish; a soup and possibly a stew; and most definitely salads. If you still need to see a menu, you are welcome to stop by and we will happily show you an example, and if it is ready, the menu of the day.

While we did have carry-out menu online during covid, we no longer are taking orders online. If you would like carry out, please come to the pub and order off of the menu. We are more than happy to package it up for you to take away.

We hope this helps with some of the confusion and look forward to seeing you in the dining room.

Wine Dinner schedules

Craft Cocktail to start the evening before getting into the wine pairing

We have posted the schedule for the upcoming series of Wine Dinners in the Events section. These events are filling up quickly so act fast. Due to the addition of the event on Saturday, June 27th, we will not be open for carryout that day.

New COVID-19 Directions From The Governor

Today, Governor Mills announced her updated plan for allowing tourists to enter the state of Maine. While we encourage you to go to the Governors page for the exact details, here is a summary as it relates to Cohill’s and our guests:

• First, residents of New Hampshire and Vermont are not subject to any restrictions and are free to visit the state. This is great news for residents of these states and we hope that those seeking a vacation in Maine will take advantage of this rule change.

• Second, if you are not from Maine, and can certify to having had a ‘Negative’ COVID-19 test result less than 72 hours before entering the state, then you are free of the 2 week quarantine rule. You will be asked to provide proof of the negative test result at check in time.

• Lastly, all other individuals, are still restricted to the 2 week quarantine rule, which must. be done at a private residence before you are allowed to stay at Cohill’s or any other establishment.

We applaud the Governors continued efforts to balance the health and well being of Mainer’s while at the same time trying to deal with the real and crushing economic crisis that Maine small business is enduring. There is no good answer, but this is certainly a positive step.

Should you have any questions as it relates to your stay or potential stay at Cohill’s, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email or over the phone.

If you currently have a reservation with a deposit and wish to convert that deposit to a gift certificate plus a $20 gift from us, please contact us via email to arrange for the cancelation and the electronic gift card. The E-Card can be used towards future reservations or in the Pub at a future date. Their will be no expiration date on these E-Cards.

Stay Safe

State of Affairs - Moving into summer

To say these past several months have been difficult is obvious. All of us have made tremendous sacrifices to help keep ourselves and our community safe. This is especially true in the small town of Lubec. Here at Cohill’s we have tried to approach the summer with caution as we figure out how to move forward with our business in a manner that is safe to both Ellen and I, and our guests. To date, we have largely done that by keeping our rooms closed and focusing on carry out as a dining option. For all of you that have been buying food from us, we are so very grateful!

For the next two weeks, we will continue with our carryout menu, expanding it a bit on Friday’s and Sundays as we also prepare to welcome our first set of guests into the Inn. Online booking is still closed until mid June, but after that, we will begin to take guests in accordance with the State of Maine’s direction. At this time, the 2 week quarantine is still in effect and as such, we will require all guests to attest that they have followed the rules of quarantine.

However, it is our understanding that the Governor has a plan, soon to be announced, which will attempt to loosen those regulations and supplement them with new guidance that attempts to balance the needs of our industry with the safety and well being of Maine residents and our guests. We support 100% the difficult challenge that all elected officials face right now as they walk what is an incredibly difficult balancing act between industry and heath and well being. As these new guidelines are released, we fully expect to see more out of state guests begin to arrive and we will be adjusting our processes accordingly.

Now to the Pub. As many may have known, we had always planned on a dramatic change to our pub for 2020. Changes that would allow us to focus on providing our guests with a unique opportunity to enjoy what is arguably the finest view in town. This past winter, we began the process of remodeling before COVID hit. We probably could have used a little insight on that one, but none the less, we had started the process and it needed to be completed.

The changes were sweeping and dramatic. New flooring and furniture; new paint and a new back bar. A new draft system to take advantage of all of the great micro brews that exist in Maine. Tables that allow for a more intimate seating experience and tables that allow for sweeping views. A lounge area for relaxing and communing with friends. All in all, lots of changes. Not the least of which will be our food and drink offerings along with our operating hours.

Beginning the weekend of June 26th, we will attempt to open the pub Friday - Sunday. We are still working on our hours and how we will limit space to meet any social distance requirements. We will update this site as those details become available. Our menu will focus on small plates that pair with our wines, beers, and custom craft cocktails — food and drink that will encourage you to lounge and enjoy versus rushing to the next destination.

Moving into July, we will be announcing both a wine and beer club. These will be on separate nights during the week with no more than 10 people to experience a unique pairing of wine, beer, cocktails and food. These will all be communal events where we focus on bringing people together for camaraderie and conversation. It is our hope that these will be attended by diverse groups of people that can use a common love of food and drink learn more about one another.

“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.”

— Anthony Bourdain

These events will be reservation only. A link to sign up will exist on this site and in our newsletter. Be sure and sign up so that you get first notice on what is happening.

We realize that for most of us, our world has been turned upside down. We have a raging virus that has killed more than 100,000 souls in the span of 3 months. A number that is truly unfathonable. We have a country that is being uprooted by deep-rooted prejudice and racial bias. Something that is so very hard for many of us too grasp. We have a community of small businesses that are on the brink of failure due to all of the above.

So, in the spirit of positivity, we hope that our changes, as big and as small as they are, will allow people to come together over food and drink and a beautiful view, as a means of listening, learning and loving.

Peace-

Ellen & Glenn

March Happenings

To All:

Ellen and I wanted to send out a quick note to let everyone know that we are thinking about you all and hope everyone is staying well and safe.  We know that these are trying times for everyone and that by sticking together, we will all get through this before you know it.

Things in Lubec are starting at act like spring.  A few warm days a few chilly days and a lovely spring snow storm.  The birds are showing up and the sun is now rising earlier and earlier each day.  Summer will be here before we know it, and while no one has any idea when daily life will go back to normal, it is still reassuring to know that the weather is getting better by the day.

Soon we will have a chance to see these beautiful Lubec summer sunsets -

The pub reconstruction project is in full gear.  As I write this, the floor is almost done and the painting process has begun.  Based on our current schedule, we anticipate doing a special takeout option this coming weekend for the 25th of March.  This will include one of our all time favorites along with a couple of beer and wine choices.  The ordering process will be online and pickup will take place on Saturday.  We will shoot out another email in the next 24 hours with the exact details on what we are serving (hint, hint) and how to place your orders.  As we move forward more options will be available.

Lastly, the Governor has indicated that we may begin taking room reservations for May 1 and beyond.  I believe that we are going to keep our reservation system closed until mid May, although this is obviously going to be a fluid decision.  This is largely so that we can understand and prepare for housekeeping of rooms given the potential for transmission of the virus.  We need to make sure that not only are the rooms ready for you, but also to minimize the potential risk to us.  This is a challenging time and we appreciate your understanding.

We do hope that with everything that has transpired, that come summer we will have a robust season in town and that the fall may be a time for folks to catch up on missed vacations.  As anyone who has been to Lubec in September knows, it is perhaps the prettiest time of the year.

Stay safe, love one another, and we will see you this summer!

Cheers,

Glenn & Ellen

Happy New Year 2020

It is hard to believe that 2019 has come and gone and now we find ourselves in the beginning of a new decade. For Cohills, Season 14 is sure to bring about a number of changes to the pub which we are super excited about. First up will be a transformation of the Pub/Dining area. Work has already started on a much needed interior face lift. Our goal is to create an environment that makes lounging, eating, drinking, and soaking in the beautiful views much more enjoyable.

Second up will be another major transformation, the menu. While the quality and style of food will echo our past, we will be bringing the menu inline with the above goals. Featuring more small plates that are conducive to lounge seating, and a dramatically reduced number of tables that will allow us to focus on the overall dining experience. Reservations will be highly recommended!!

As the winter progresses we will update the site with images of the transformation and begin to disclose some of our new menu items along with dining schedule/hours.

Here is to a wonderful 2020 for all. We look forward to seeing everyone this coming summer.

Sláinte,

Glenn & Ellen

Facebook and Social Media

As small business owners, the use of Social Media is very important to us and how we share information to the public. In the past, we have relied heavily on Facebook in particular as a way to actively communicate and engage with our community. Unfortunately, as concerned citizens, we can no longer turn a blind eye to the irresponsible Corporate business practices of Facebook and it’s leadership team.

Moving forward, we will still randomly update our business page with basic information, but we are both moving to delete our personal accounts and will no longer be monitoring our business page on anywhere near a daily basis. What this means is that it will no longer be a reliable means of communicating with us either personally or as a business.

Instead, we will use our website platform to further inform and engage with our community as well as push for an increased usage of the phone and email. These forms of communication are actually more direct and free of any of the outside issues that we have with Facebook

In the coming weeks, we will begin building out a mailing list that will serve as a primary method of pushing out updates to what we are currently doing and what events and special happening are coming in the near future. Your privacy is incredibly important to us, so know that as we move forward with these steps, we will not share or sell any personal information that we collect from our email list with anyone.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we move forward into our 14th season of operation.

Many changes are coming so stay tuned for details!!

Glenn & Ellen

Dog Leash Policy

As you can tell, Cohills is an extremely dog friendly environment. We allow dogs in all of our rooms as well as on our deck. This year, one change to our policy will be no Flex Leads allowed on premises. If you are staying with us and only have a Flex Lead, we are happy to offer you a loaner lead for use while staying with us or you can purchase one of our hand made rope leads from our gift shop.

Guests that are not staying with us, but using the deck, will have the same constraints. No Flex Leads on the deck at all. Loaner leads will be available for those wishing to eat or drink on the deck.

Please feel free to drop us a note with any questions. We look forward as always to having both you and your four legged companion join us at the Inn and Pub.

Glenn & Ellen

Electronic Gift Certificates Available

We are excited to offer up Electronic Gift Certificates this year.  While we will still have 'card' based gift certificates, these electronic ones are super simple to purchase and use.  Follow this link for more details and as always, feel free to email or call if you need any assistance.